Cost of living in Israel?

[elik]

My wife and I are considering making aliyah with our 3 children (all under 5 yo)
We are trying to find out what is the typical monthly cost of living in Israel, assuming we don't live an extravagant lifestyle (ie rarely eat out) send our kids to the regular schools (which I believe are heavily subsidized) and take out the basic health insurance (also heavily subsidized)
We may be looking to own one car and live in decent 3 bedroom accomodation in a community such as Ramat Beit Shemesh.

Someone recently told me you need 25000 Shekels per mont (after tax!) to live in Israel which I find hard to believe....

[Chaikel]

Full coverage health insurance (including 80% reimbursed for out of network/out of country) about 250-300 shek per month.

Schools are about 100-150 per month, with free day care if over 3 years old. Private day care is about 600 per month.

Car on short terms (month to month) rental about $600. Rent in a 3 bedroom in RBS should run about 3000-3500 shek.


I think what can throw a wrench in the calculations is what is considered a luxury. You look at not eating out as non-extravagant, but here orange juice is considered a luxury, and the price (~$8 a bottle) reflects that.

[Jkhein]

Full coverage health insurance (including 80% reimbursed for out of network/out of country) about 250-300 shek per month.

Meuchedet Sie which is their highest coverage level, is good enough and cost much less than that

Schools are about 100-150 per month, with free day care if over 3 years old. Private day care is about 600 per month.

about 300 IME

OP, you might find this thread helpful
http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=38502.msg734556#msg734556

[Chaikel]

Meuchedet Sie which is their highest coverage level, is good enough and cost much less than that

Zahav is their highest, CMIIW. And I was referring to C+ BTL costs

[how]

Zahav is their highest, CMIIW.

Zahav AFAIK is basically for people who reached gil zahav. For regular folks the highest that makes sense is C

[PlatinumGuy]

(including 80% reimbursed for out of network/out of country)

Consultations, not major procedures (afaik). It is still a great deal though. You can get a real plan from an American or European company for $500/yr with a 10k deductible to cover major unexpected procedures.

[dudi]

My wife and I are considering making aliyah with our 3 children (all under 5 yo)
We are trying to find out what is the typical monthly cost of living in Israel, assuming we don't live an extravagant lifestyle (ie rarely eat out) send our kids to the regular schools (which I believe are heavily subsidized) and take out the basic health insurance (also heavily subsidized)
We may be looking to own one car and live in decent 3 bedroom accomodation in a community such as Ramat Beit Shemesh.

Someone recently told me you need 25000 Shekels per mont (after tax!) to live in Israel which I find hard to believe....

PM me I grew up in rbs I will give a few ppl to call they will tell you exactly how much it will cost you and all the stuff you need to know

[Jkhein]

Consultations, not major procedures (afaik). It is still a great deal though. You can get a real plan from an American or European company for $500/yr with a 10k deductible to cover major unexpected procedures.

you can technically do that when living in the US too, correct? do you have any details of these companies?

[PlatinumGuy]

you can technically do that when living in the US too, correct? do you have any details of these companies?

No the policies are different for US residents

[shalomh]

apartments in rbs are closer to 4000-4500 for a 3 bedroom (that's what the last 3 i heard about were)
as far as schools the tuition for any decent one is 500-800 shekel (its more than yerushalayim because its based on anglos and not israelis)

if you are willing to buy a car that is a year or two old then is will cost you about 1000 shekel pm if you resell it 5 or 6 years down the line
if you insist on brand new then it goes up to 1800-2000 pm or much more if you want a luxury car (anything more than a corolla)
gas will be at least 1000 pm
groceries 3000-4000
eating out 200
arnona 300
electric 600
water 350-400
gas 50
gan wont be more then 500-600
all day maon for under 2 will be around 2000
 the higher total for that is 15400
you can probably squeeze by on 16 and 20 would be a little for savings
with 25 you are doing better then most people there

[PlatinumGuy]

gas will be at least 1000 pm

Sounds like you're commuting to Jlem every day

[Jkhein]

apartments in rbs are closer to 4000-4500 for a 3 bedroom (that's what the last 3 i heard about were)
as far as schools the tuition for any decent one is 500-800 shekel (its more than yerushalayim because its based on anglos and not israelis)

if you are willing to buy a car that is a year or two old then is will cost you about 1000 shekel pm if you resell it 5 or 6 years down the line
if you insist on brand new then it goes up to 1800-2000 pm or much more if you want a luxury car (anything more than a corolla)
gas will be at least 1000 pm
groceries 3000-4000
eating out 200
arnona 300 per?
electric 600
water 350-400
gas 50
gan wont be more then 500-600
all day maon for under 2 will be around 2000
 the higher total for that is 15400
you can probably squeeze by on 16 and 20 would be a little for savings
with 25 you are doing better then most people there

do you heat up your apt in the winter?

[Chaikel]

water 350-400

I pay that per 2 months with 2 nefashot

[shalomh]

I pay that per 2 months with 2 nefashot

i think it makes sense that you pay half of what 5 nefashot would pay. btw the general formula is 60 shekel, per person, per month for water

[shalomh]

do you heat up your apt in the winter?

heat in israel is not usually powered by gas. its either oil or electric i included it in the electric
300 for arnona is for a average size apt (100 meters) at about 35 shekel a meter
1000 shekel gets you a little more then two tanks of gas. that's pretty standard even without traveling to yerushalayim alot

[Jkhein]

heat in israel is not usually powered by gas. its either oil or electric i included it in the electric
300 for arnona is for a average size apt (100 meters) at about 35 shekel a meter
1000 shekel gets you a little more then two tanks of gas. that's pretty standard even without traveling to yerushalayim alot

most people I know get their apartment heated by Yunkers which is run on gas and very expensive.
I dont get your arnona calculation sorry. 300 shekel per year/month/day?

[shalomh]

most people I know get their apartment heated by Yunkers which is run on gas and very expensive.
I dont get your arnona calculation sorry. 300 shekel per year/month/day?

the arnona is per month  (300/12=3600 per year) and its for RBS, in yerushalayim its about double
re the heat, I guess i am wrong about the gas I did not know it was so common to use Yunkers

[PlatinumGuy]

I dont get your arnona calculation sorry. 300 shekel per year/month/day?

everything else there was per month